‘Looks Like Twinkle Khanna': How Smriti Irani Landed Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi Role
Smriti Irani, the beloved face of Indian television, has made a much-anticipated return to the small screen with Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. Nearly two decades later, the actress-turned-politician is lighting up screens as Tulsi and audiences couldn't be more thrilled. The reboot of the iconic Star Plus drama premiered on July 29 and fans were swept with nostalgia at seeing Irani reprise her legendary role.
But what's caught everyone's attention even more than the show's return is the surprising revelation about how Smriti Irani was originally cast. In a live session on Star Plus's official Instagram page, producer Ektaa Kapoor shared an interesting anecdote that turned over the long-held belief that she was the one who chose Smriti for the role.
Ektaa revealed that her mother, Shobha Kapoor, had spotted Irani during a different Star Plus program and was struck by her beauty. She revealed, 'Meri mom ne Smriti ko ek show mein dekha tha aur bola ke ye ek ladki maine show mein dekha hai… Joh bahut hi khubsurat hai aur mujhe bahut pasand aayi hai (My mom saw Smriti in a show and said, 'I saw this girl… she's really beautiful and I really liked her.')."
She went on to say that she had stepped in last minute as a replacement for a friend in the show, where her mother spotted Smriti. 'I was filling in for one of Ektaa's friends who didn't show up. It was purely by chance," Ektaa revealed.
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Smriti Irani's comparison with Twinkle Khanna
During the same conversation, Ektaa then told Smriti, 'I don't know what you did back then, but my mom was completely taken by you. She's actually a big fan of Twinkle Khanna and she called me saying, 'There's this girl who looks like Twinkle Khanna and she's so beautiful—please cast her.' So everyone thinks I cast you for Kyunki, but it was actually my mom who saw you and said, 'I really like this girl… and what a face."
Smriti Irani's audition
While Smriti's performance impressed Ektaa instantly, no one else on the set was convinced at the time. Ektaa revealed, 'Smriti came for the auditions. She was very slim, quiet and shy. She gave her audition and ended it with such a sweet smile."
Ektaa Kapoor's show Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu. This original series first aired in July 2000. The daily soap revolutionised Indian television and the 'saas-bahu" genre, enjoying a successful eight-year run. Created by Ektaa Kapoor, the show revolved around a strong, self-sacrificing and principled daughter-in-law, Tulsi Virani. Her character became a cultural icon, challenging stereotypical portrayals of women on screen. The story explored family dynamics, relationships and power struggles within a joint household.
Now, after 25 years, the new season brings back the original cast, including Smriti Irani, Gauri Pradhan, Hiten Tejwani, Amar Upadhyay, Shakti Anand and Ketki Dave. The makers have also introduced fresh faces like Aman Gandhi, Rohit Suchanti and Shagun Sharma.
Produced by Balaji Motion Pictures, Kyunki 2 premiered again on small screens on July 29 at 10:30 PM. Fans can watch the upcoming episodes on Star Plus or JioHotstar.
First Published:
July 30, 2025, 18:17 IST
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